WhatsApp is preparing to introduce a more precise way for users to control how much space their chats occupy, adding per-chat storage management to its upcoming app versions. The feature, currently in beta testing, will allow users to see and manage the exact amount of storage taken up by photos, videos, and documents in individual conversations — something the app’s current tools don’t fully support.
At present, WhatsApp’s storage settings are centralized. Users can open Settings → Storage and Data → Manage Storage to review and delete files across all chats. While each chat’s info page includes a “Media, Links, and Docs” section showing shared content, it lacks visibility into how much space each file consumes, making it cumbersome to manage storage efficiently.
The new update changes that by adding a “Manage Storage” option directly within each chat’s info screen. According to early reports from WaBetaInfo, this section lists how much storage each conversation occupies on the device and displays a media grid organized by file size. Sorting options such as “Newest,” “Oldest,” and “Largest” help users quickly identify which files are taking up the most space.
This approach brings a more granular level of control that many messaging users have been asking for. Rather than scrolling through a massive global gallery of files, users can now focus on specific chats — whether that’s a media-heavy group or a friend who frequently shares large videos.
The change also reflects WhatsApp’s broader effort to improve device efficiency, especially in regions where users rely on phones with limited storage capacity. Managing storage at the chat level should help free up space without disrupting important conversations or deleting useful media elsewhere.
There’s no official release date yet for the feature, but its appearance in the beta version suggests it’s nearing public rollout on iOS and Android. Once available, it could make WhatsApp’s data management tools more practical and user-friendly, aligning the app with growing expectations for transparency and control over digital storage.
